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General Classical Music Discussion / Re: What are you listening 2 now?
« Last post by André on Today at 01:01:57 PM »
Second disc of addenda to Jonathan Nott’s integral set of Schubert symphonies. The first disc had works by Rihm, Schnebel, Mantovani and Widmann.
This one has Berio’s Rendering (a ‘what if’ take on Schubert’s sketches for his 10th symphony), Aribert Reimann’s Metamorphosen on a minuet, Hans Werner Henze’s short Erlkönig Orchesterphantasie, Hans Zender’s recomposition of 4 Schubert Choir Songs for chorus and orchestra and finally Kurt Schwertsik’ s Epilog zu Rosamunde - which presumably provided the title of the album.
There’s almost a dozen recordings of Rendering (I have Chailly’s), and Schubert lieder have been orchestrated by many composers, including a wholesale rethinking of Winterreise by Hans Zender. The notes to this disc state that « Schubert’s unusual handling of time - condensing, extending, standing still - the gaps and breaks within his works, their fragmentary and erratic nature resonated with modern irritations ». Hence the renewed interest in the past (studiously and forcefully rejected by diehard Darmstädtians in the 60s and 70s) and especially in the music of Schubert.
Nice thought. Whatever the motivations behind these rethinkings, my hunch is that a desire to explore the possibilities offered by music that builds so strongly on melody was an irresistible guilty pleasure these composers couldn’t ignore.
Each work has a common (schubertian) point of departure but explores entirely different avenues. Very stimulating. Recommended to the curious and open-minded from both persuasions (romantic and modernist).
